Saturday, January 29, 2011

Here We Go Again

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Last Wednesday we picked up another foot of snow. Boston broke a total for the season so far of 60.2”. Typically it would only be a foot at this point. I know you New Yorkers are laughing but for a big city this amount is a real nightmare in terms of where do you put it. The weather has stayed cold so it keeps piling up. Roofs have been collapsing.

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This is the path Mark made on the deck so I could get to the composter.

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No grilling for awhile.

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We do our best to keep the feeder full.

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These are deer tracks leading to the bush in the next picture. The snow has flattened it so it makes for easy feeding.

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Mark is posing to give some scale to the photos.

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The feeder in the front yard has become inaccessible so I think I may have to throw the seed on the front porch. You can see the little snow covered dome behind Mark.

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Even the little gazebo by the side of the driveway is sporting a hat. Hmm, we keep forgetting to cover that at the start of the season.

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I had a pleasant surprise with this storm… our neighbor plowed out the driveway for us. Very thoughtful… It’s a good feeling to have nice neighbors.

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Guess what the weatherman is predicting for the middle of this week? I’m afraid to even put it into words. I’ll leave it to you imaginations.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Warmer Climates

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Greg left for Arizona on Monday and is due back today. He recently switched jobs within the company so this was a training thing he was attending. These photos were taken with his cell phone. He said a lot of the house had walls around them.

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The hot tub was at his hotel.

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He tried to entice Mark to do some landscaping here but there aren’t too many lawns to mow.

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There are Dunkin Donuts all over. A bit fancier than we’re used to.

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On one of his adventures Greg found an ATV store. 

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Hopefully when Greg gets back I can get him to comment more on his trip and these photos. His flight is due in late tonight but seeing that we’re currently having a snow storm time will tell. He’s been enjoying 70 degrees all week. Well back to reality.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Winter Wonderland 2011 and Other Info

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Yesterday was our first Nor’easter 0f 2011. The snow came down fast and furious. Greg took Mark’s truck to work in 4 wheel drive all the way. I am an avid bird watcher so first on the storm prep list was making sure the feeders were filled.

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Emily’s inner child was in full force. She enjoyed the storm.

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Everything is always so beautiful right after a storm.

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My small army swung into action to help with snow removal. Mark and Derek’s cars were buried. Derek is shoveling out his.

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Em is working up near the house and Mark has the big guns going.

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We took our official measurement from the snow on the deck.

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These shots were taken the day after. Almost all the area schools were closed for a second day. One of the big problems in this area is the lack of places to put snow after such a big storm.

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The above picture doesn’t due justice to the size of the branch that broke off. Luckily it didn’t hit the house. It’s huge.

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Looks like we won’t be grilling for awhile this time.

Spring can’t be too far away, is it…

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No, we don’t have a bathroom on our deck. With the new year came our to do list. We’ve decided it’s a year of home improvement. We are starting with the bathroom the kids/guests use. Last weekend Greg replaced the toilet. This new model is a super flusher. We were assured it would flush golf balls. So far it has handled everything we’ve put in it. It also is a little higher to sit on. Taller folks will find it the best seat in the house.

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We have ordered granite for the sink top and will also replace the faucets. We’re waiting to hear from the plumber to change the shower faucets which will lead to new tile.

Some other goals are to have the house painted and the driveway redone. These are all contingent upon not having the unforeseen come up.

Here’s a little update on the family. Emily will be going back on Sunday. We’re driving her to the south shore to her boyfriends house to catch a ride back. Greg did the preholiday pickup and his mom is taking them back. Derek has another week off. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned that he has a part time job. One of the area high schools was looking for someone to teach their marching band percussion winter drill team. Derek’s marching band director highly recommended him. He was interviewed by a team of 3 at a local restaurant and got the job. They quizzed him on how he would handle discipline situations should they arise, they commented on how young he looked but in the end said they would take a chance on him because of how highly recommended he came. He works Tuesday’s and Thursdays’ 6-9 pm. and Saturday’s 10-2. He loves it and the kids want him to do it in the fall. Another perk of the job is a new lady friend. She is in charge of the color guard. She graduated from Syracuse University a year or so ago and is a video editor.

Derek has also joined the New England Philharmonic Orchestra by being recommended from the guy he was replacing. They took him sight unseen. They rehearse every Sunday from 7-10 p.m. at Simmons College in Boston. Last Sunday was his first time in. He was very excited about it. I was on needles and pins about him driving in but he did okay with the GPS. He did make a wrong turn, but it got him back on course. The other group he will be joining is the Stowe, MA orchestra, that starts in March. His percussion instructor recommended him. The key to the music world is networking. Derek has a firm handle on that.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Catching Up

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I know, I’m behind once again. I’ll catch you up. Christmas morning before anyone gets up. So peaceful…

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Emily is first up. She’s already taken away her presents. Santa brought Mark an awesome tool chest. Actually this is his birthday present. We couldn’t keep his Christmas present a secret because it came while Greg and I were at work and Mark had to sign for it. It was a rack for his truck.

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I think Greg is wanting one for himself.

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Always last up is Derek. Yes, he still wears his blanket. I suppose someday if he gets married I’ll have to make a fancy one.

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Joseph loves the Christmas tree. It’s like a wildlife habitat for him once a year. He and the tree are all that’s left of the day.

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We finally got snow. Monday, Dec. 27th was the blizzard of 2010. I had to be at work that morning at 6 a.m. so Greg drove me in Mark’s truck. It was 4 wheel drive all the way.

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Lots of snow in a short time. Fultonian’s please refrain from laughing.

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Below is the craziness of the weather. On Monday we had a blizzard and on January 1st we cooked burgers on the grill. Crazy week.

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